26 LAND AND LABOR 



header box, drawh by another team. The box when 

 filled being at once taken to the rick and unloaded, 

 whilst another takes its place. Other machines, that 

 are drawn by two horses, known as self binders, cut 

 the grain and bind it into sheaves, using both cord 

 and wire for the binding, and throwing the sheaves to 

 one side when bound, are also in common use, with 

 cutters six and seven feet in length, which cut and 

 bind 15 and 20 acres in a day, and do the work of 60 

 and 80 men with sickles. 



In the days of our fathers the sheaves of grain were 

 stored in the barns, and furnished a Winter's work 

 for themselves, their boys, and their men servants, in 

 thrashing it with flails. But now thrashing machines, 

 driven by horse or steam power, thrashes, winnows, 

 and sacks the grain as fast as 12 to 25 men can feed 

 the machines, clear away the straw and chaff, and 

 handle the sacks turning out 1,000 to 1,500 bush- 

 els a day. 



In California the machines above referred to that 

 cut, thrash, and winnow the grain at one operation, 

 are used. They also fill the sacks, which are left 

 standing in rows where, but a few moments before, 

 stood the golden grain untouched, inviting to its har- 

 vest. These machines require four men in working 

 them, and with cutters 20 feet long harvest 50 acres 

 a day. Here four men, with the machine and team, 

 now do the work that would have required at least 

 300 within the memory of men now living. 



Down to within the last year, when the corn was 

 ready for harvest men were sent into the field to take 

 the ripened ears from the standing stalk by hand ; 



